Born A Country, Left A Legend
by CrystallineMaple
Summary: A collection of Hetalia one-shots. Some may contain character death, but none will be rated above T. A few may be from the point of view of my OC, Maple. Requests open! (No longer only legends, any type of oneshot)
1. A Thousand Paper Cranes

_A/N- My OC, again: Maple Køhler/ New Denmark POV_

Japan: Legend of a Thousand Paper Cranes

"What are you making, Little Den?" Denmark has skipped up next to me, drink in hand, peering over my shoulder at the little square of patterned, crumpled paper in my hand.

"Well, I was trying to make a paper crane" is all I can respond with, staring dumbly at the crane that is so beautiful one might mistake it for something that should go in the recycling bin.

"Ha! More like trying to replicate Iceland's DNA tests," Denmark laughs, and I slap him. He shakes his head and says, "Did you start this because you went to Japan last month?"

"Yeah," I say dully. "Kiku was trying to teach me how to make the cranes. I thought, you know, the lesson might have sunk in, but no such thing." I chuck the balled up paper into the trash can.

"I can make one," Denmark says. He takes a blue sheet of paper with white cherry blossoms designed across it and within a minute or two a small crane is set in front of me, wings open, ready for flight. It's so amazing I don't want to touch it- like when you catch that one snowflake on your hand and you don't want it to melt- but I unfold the wings to see how my brother did it.

"Where'd you learn?"

"Just, around." The answer is too vague for my liking, but I let it slip. "Do you... is this... I think I've got it!" I try to copy the crane. One wing is bent, and if it were a real crane, its neck would be broken, but it's a crane.

"Nice," Denmark says. He's starting to sound a little unsteady, so I send him to bed like a babysitter, even though he's older, and call Japan.

"Hello?" Comes the answer.

"Hey, Japan! It's New Denmark. I finally made a crane. Well, Denmark had to help me a little bit, but I finally got it."

"Good job," Japan replies. "You know the legend, right? One crane brings good luck, but a thousand of them grant you one wish."

"Is that true?" I ask. I don't know why, but the cranes seem so mystical, and if anything can make a miracle happen, it's them. I might be silly and childish for believing such a thing, but they're so beautiful.

"It's a legend," Japan says simply. "I don't know if it's true or if it's lies, because it's a legend, and whether a legend is true or not, legends never die."

-###-  
"Pick up, pick up, pick up..."

"Hello?" I answer the phone to a nervous chant of 'pick up', and finally, and 'aru' is tagged on the end when the caller realizes I've answered the phone. China.

"Little Den! Japan... Japan's in the hospital, aru!"

"What?" I nearly drop the phone and lean back on the counter. "What happened? I was just talking to him a couple of days ago."

"He's sick," China says. "I don't know with what, aru. You should come over to the hospital, a few of us are already"-

"I'm not coming," I interrupt. "I'm not. I know something better. It might be silly, but it's better than twiddling our thumbs and worrying. I need everyone's help. Every nation can help out- even Italy, he'd probably even be good at it."

"What is it?" China asks urgently.

"Last time I spoke to Japan, he told me the legend of the thousand paper cranes. So I learned to fold one, and now I'm going to try to fold a thousand and see if we can save Japan. Please, spread the message. Tell everyone to send cranes to me."

"This is absurd, Little Den, aru. Why would you do such a thing? I'm not going to contradict the Japanese legend, but..." He trails off.

"Please," I beg. "Even if you don't make any yourself, pass the news on. Please." "Fine." China sighs and I smile a little, then hang up.

"Denmarrrrk!" I scream, and he comes running.

"Yeah?"

"Start folding cranes. Japan's in the hospital, and I want that one wish to help him. Please," I interrupt, before he can interrupt me by stating it's impossible. I take the crane he and I folded the other night and write _1 _on it in marker.

"Look, we just have nine-hundred-ninety-nine to go, and other nations are helping," I beg.

"You're stupid," he says. I feel my heart sink, but Denmark smiles. "Really. How do you think I can help when you're taking up the whole table? Scoot over."

I laugh and move over, handing him some paper.

-###-  
We're at fifty paper cranes when we decide to call it a night. I throw myself into bed, worrying about Japan. The next morning, twenty paper cranes- ten from Finland and ten from Sweden- are waiting on our doorstep in a box. They wrote a note, too:

_We're not sure if the plan is crazy or amazing, but good luck._

This means we're at seventy. After Denmark and I fold thirty more, putting us at one hundred, another box arrives. China has donated forty cranes.

Boxes arrive all throughout the day- Lithuania and Poland with twenty, the Baltics send in thirty, Belarus and Ukraine with twenty, the Allies send in seventy, Germany and Prussia have thirty, Italy made twenty, Canada with ten, Lichtenstein and Switzerland with thirty, Austria and Hungary with twenty, Norway and Iceland each with ten. It's amazing.

By the end of the day, we've created and been sent four hundred cranes, all from around the world, with promises of more.

The next day, phone rings again. I don't recognize the number, but because of the code, I'm guessing it must be east of us. "Hello?"

"New Denmark. It's Lithuania." As soon as the nervous Baltic answers, I get an unpleasant feeling. It's not usual for him to call me, or anyone; usually Russia protests. This must have something to do with Japan.

"Hey, Liet. What's up? Are you with Japan?" I still call him by that pet name, as does Denmark, even though he protested. And even though New Denmark is way smaller than Lithuania, with a way lower population, Russia still demands the Baltics have no authority, even over someone like Lichtenstein. Stupid.

"Y-Yes. It's not going too well. He's growing worse. There's a bunch of us here- China, the other Baltics, even Greece and Turkey aren't arguing at the moment." He gives me a second for the information to sink in- whether it was that Japan is worse or that Greece and Turkey aren't arguing, though, I don't know- and then continues. "H-How are the paper cranes coming?"

"Oh. Great! Thanks for the donation! We're at four hundred. Six hundred left to go."

"Really! T-that's great. Have you and Denmark made all of those yourself? No, of course not... g-gosh, what a silly question, beg your pardon..."

I roll my eyes, but of course, he doesn't see. "You don't have to beg my pardon," I say. "It's fine. A lot of nations have been shipping them in. Where'd you hear the news? You and the Baltics?"

"Oh, Russia told us to start folding cranes," Lithuania says, his voice growing even more nervous as he speaks of O-oh m-my goodness, Mr. R-Russia. "Russia heard from China."

"Well, I've got to go," I say, cupping my hand around the phone so that Lithuania won't hear Denmark yelling at me to get back to working. "Thanks for calling."

As soon as I plop back down on the table, grabbing for a piece of origami paper, Denmark starts talking.

"Look. While you were on the phone with Lithunia, Sweden called me. I don't know if you heard from Liet, but apparently, Japan is in a critical condition. Maybe two or three days. We need to hurry. If we get any more shipments, that's going to be great, because we can't make six hundred more cranes by ourselves in three days."

"Two or three days," I say, breathing out a sigh. I turn to Denmark. "What if this doesn't work? Am I just being silly? It is a legend. I couldn't stand if Japan dies, and if I'm just... ifI'mjustbeingdumbandthisdoesn'thelp,willtheyblame meandandand..." I start rambling, talking so fast Denmark raises his eyebrows.

Finally, he shakes his head. "I don't think a nation can blame you for giving everybody a bit of hope."

"Denmark"-

"Just keep working."

-###-  
The next day, we get three hundred more paper cranes, which leaves us with one hundred to fold, and unfortunately, the last package we receive, one from the Italian brothers, says that every country is with Japan, and no more shipments are coming.

"One day left," I say. "We have one hundred. We can do this, we can do this."

Denmark shakes his head. "I know we can, but we... we need to go to Japan."

-###-  
"Ah, hello. Are you two boyfriend and"-

"We're siblings," I say, interrupting the receptionist at the hospital. Nosy people! Yes, Denmark and I look nothing alike, but you shouldn't just assume because a girl and a guy are walking together that we're dating. "We're looking for Jap- err, Honda Kiku," I say.

"From out of country?" The receptionist asks, typing something on her computer. "Oh, duh, of course. I mean, where? German, maybe?"

"Danish," Denmark says. "Alright, follow me," the woman says, leading us down a maze of halls. Outside a door sits a row of three folding chairs, one of them occupied by China.

"Ch- Yao! Are you waiting for us? We only have ten cranes left!" I exclaim. I really need to get better at calling nations their human names in public, don't I? Whatever, no matter.

"How's Kiku?" Denmark asks from beside me.

"...I can't... I don't know. Go inside, and fold those last ten. A lot of people went to go on a food run."

Sure enough, when Denmark and I walk inside, the only occupants are Spain, Romano, Germany, Italy and Taiwan.

"Hey, Mei," I say to Taiwan. "How are you?"

"Hey, Maple." Her eyes stare at Kiku, worried. "I'm good. Im-Yong went with the others to get food. How are the cranes coming?" She takes one out of her pocket and hands it to me. "I'm sorry. I should have made more... but I was crying too much..."

"It's okay." I pat her shoulder.

"Eight," Denmark says. "I just made eight more. Oh. Oh, did you make one, Mei? Nine? Maple, make the last one. The thousandth. One thousand paper cranes."

The door bursts open, and Korea leads the front of a huge pack, scarfing down sushi. I see the others- Austria, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Russia, America, France, England. . . everybody.

They're staring at the piece of paper in my hand- plain white paper. Paper that really looks most realistically like, simply, a crane.

"How many are left?" England asks.

"This... this is the last one," I say. America speaks up. "I think... I think Maple should get to make the wish. It's was her idea."

And while no nation can agree on politics, or economies, or governments, everyone nods their heads at this.

With shaking hands, I fold the last crane. At first I thought I was being silly, but I could have sworn there was almost a glow in the room- faint, bright, hopeful. Then it was gone.

_I wish on a thousand paper cranes that Japan will get better. Please. Please._

-###-  
"Maple, wake up." I open my eyes. We've all crashed at a nearby hotel. Somehow Hungary got into my room, and she's shaking me up, her eyes teary.

"What? What's wrong?"

"Japan... he's... he's..."

"Oh my God. He's dead, isn't he? Is he dead?" I feel panic rising in my throat. I guess it was a legend, but still. Still.

"Come on, let's go."

-###-  
Two weeks later, the funeral happens. The country of Japan still lives on, growing and thriving, but Kiku Honda is no more.

"Come out back," Denmark invites. "We're burning all the cranes, mixed with some sort of that Japanese incense stuff."

I walk outside and find myself in a huge courtyard. Everyone has gathered around a bonfire. It might be a little inappropriate for a funeral, but oh well. It's not like anyone was stopping us.

Someone throws the cranes in. One by one, colorful wings turned black, folding up, burning to ash. Smoke rose in the air, and mixed with the incense, it rose until we couldn't see it anymore, over the streets of Japan.

I saw the thousandth one burn. I knew it was that one because it was pure white, turning to gray ash as the fire caught.

"We'll remember Japan, aru," China says.

"Of course," I reply. I didn't realize I had stood there for that long. China is the only one left outside. I can't lie and say Japan and China were always the best of friends, but Denmark told me China basically raised Japan.

As I watch the smoke drift into the air, the spirits of the paper cranes, I remember what Japan said on our phone conversation before he went down.

Legends never die.


	2. Dreaming

_A/N- My OC, again: Maple Køhler/ New Denmark POV. And yes, feel free to request a legend you'd like me to do! This next chapter is AusHun._

Legend says when you can't fall asleep at night, it's because you're wide awake in someone else's dream.

"I haven't been sleeping very well," Hungary comments one day. Us girl countries have camped out Liechtenstein's. I don't know why, but when I got a phone call from Ukraine inviting me to come, I packed my stuff and made sure I got here.

"Oh, really?" Ukraine smiles. "Have you all ever heard legend says when you can't fall asleep at night, it's because you're wide awake in someone else's dream?" She raises her eyebrows. "Maybe Austria's?"

"Oh shut up!" Hungary hits Ukraine on the arm and we all laugh. Hungary tries to look stern, but she cracks a smile, can't help it, and starts giggling too.

"Maybe I should stay awake later," Belarus says. "Perhaps then big brother would begin dreaming about me?"

"I don't think it works like that," I say. "You know, Hungary, you really need to stop dodging the issue."

"What issue?"

"Austria," Liechtenstein giggles. "How romantic! Come on, Hungary, you basically live with the guy! Say you love him!"

"N-No way!" Hungary exclaims. "Besides, Liechtenstein, didn't you see Switzerland on Friday? How did your meeting go?"

"Dodging the issue!" I sing, getting hit in the face with a pillow thrown by Hungary. "Shut up, Little Den!" This only makes me laugh harder, and soon Hungary stamps her foot.

"Guys! Seriously, I... I don't know..." Hungary stammers, her face bright red. "I mean, if I were to tell him... how... when...?"

"Tomorrow!" Belgium exclaims. "We're all going home tomorrow, so how about Little Den goes with you? She can make sure nothing bad happens."

"Aww, come on, why do I have to go?" I joke. "Belgium, Liechtenstein, you're closer. But, fine," I say, adding a dramatic sigh. Then I smile at Hungary, because I know how much she loves Austria.

-###-  
"You're going to be home a day or two late? Where are you going?" Denmark asks. I've called him to tell him I'm going to Austria with Hungary.

"Oh, nothing much," I say. "Since I'm over at Liechtenstein's, I was going to visit Austria, you know?"

"Whatever," Denmark says. "By the way, Iceland misses you."

"Shut up," I say. This is a constant joke he's had with me- that Iceland and I are soulmates and are going to get married with Mr. Puffin as our kid- but it's not true. "We're just friends. I know you're jealous 'cause you don't have any, right? Meanwhile everyone seems to like me," I joke.

"I do so have friends," Denmark defends. "Norway, Sweden, Pr"-

"Oh, please do not say Prussia is your friend," I say. "I've got to go now. See you later."

-###-  
"Hungary, you know I don't like guests in the house..." Austria begins. I hold my breath. If I'm not here, Hungary might not do anything but sit on the couch, listening to Austria play music, never revealing her true feelings.

"But New Denmark is very helpful and kind. I won't mind if she stays a few days."

"Thank you, Austria," I say. "I'll try not to get in the way too much. I'll only need to stay here one night, I think." I glance pointedly at Hungary to get the message across. One day is all I'm giving her, then packing up and heading back to New Denmark.

I help Hungary make a 'romantic' dinner for Austria. As I chop carrots, she slices leaves for salad, chattering on and on about how nervous she is, until I put up my hand to stop her, my other hand still cutting the carrots.

"Hungary," I say. "Remember what Liechtenstein said? You practically live with Austria. If he didn't like you very much, do you really think he'd have let you stay here all these years?"

"Oh." She flashes a smile. "You're right. Thanks, Little Den." She hugs me and I hold up the knife threateningly. "No hugs."

She laughs, stepping away. "Of course. You're too bitter and isolated."

"Bitter and isolated?" I laugh. "This really makes me want to help you again."

Austria walks in through the front door, muttering curses in German about Prussia and his Prussian-ness, then sits down at the kitchen table. "Looks nice, you two. What are you making?"

"U-Uh... um... uh..." Hungary stammers and looks to me for help. I roll my eyes and don't look up from the carrots. "We're working on salad," I say, without a hint of hesitation in my voice. "Then we're going to make some wurst and mashed potatoes. That okay?"

"Ja," Austria says, opening a newspaper.

"Great going," I hiss to Hungary, jabbing her in the ribs with my elbow. "If you can't even tell him what we're cooking, how are you going to say 'I love you?'"

Hungary blushes. "Little Den, please. I can do this. I think."

"Go on, do it now." I point with the knife towards Austria, reading the newspaper, paying no attention to us and Elizabeta's nervousness. He's not even aware of it.

"N-Now? No way!" I see her eyes watering. I roll my eyes again and give an exasperated sigh. "Fine. Fine. Go get on nice clothes. I'll finish dinner."

"You can? You can cook?"

"Hungary!" I snap. "I can make enough Danish Cuisine and beer to keep Denmark from wondering. I think I can mash some potatoes and cook some wurst for Austria, okay? Now go get ready!"

-###-  
"And, um, then, uh..." I scratch the back of my head. I've already made the wurst and am boiling the potatoes, wondering where Hungary is. This is awkward. Austria and I have always been pleasant to each other, but we're not buddy-buddy like, say, Greece and Japan. I have no clue what to say, and it's taking Hungary much too long to put on something pretty.

"Hah," Austria says, sounding uninterested. His eyes open wide from behind his glasses. "New Denmark?"

"Ja," I say, focusing on the potatoes.

"I, um, I know you're single and all, you've never given a thought about this romance stuff..."

"Who says I haven't?"

"You have?"

"I'm joking," I say honestly. The other girl countries find _me_ strange because _I_ find love stupid and overrated. Somehow, every nation seems to know, and I have no clue how.

"Well, um. I keep having dreams about Hungary. Sometimes we're sitting by the fireplace. Once, we were having a picnic. But they're all very nice, very peaceful. How could she like someone like me back? I have no real talents."

"Don't say that!" I exclaim. "You can play the piano really well. You've got musical skills."

"It can all be learned," Austria says glumly.

I walk up to him and slap the back of his head. Kind of drastic because I don't know him that well, but I can't help it. _Must _he have such an inferiority complex?

"Mein Kopf!" He exclaims.

"It can't be learned," I say, returning to the stove, draining water from the bowl I'm cooking in. "Listen. You can practice piano all you want, but unless you have _potential, _you're never going to get anywhere." I wipe my hands on a dish towel. "But you have a real talent. Trust me. I tried to play Happy Birthday on the piano and it sounded like a dying, um, dying animal. But you can play all these sonatas and pieces like it's nothing." I get out plates. "Tell me, is that really nothing?"

"Oh. Oh, thank you," Austria says quietly. "Should I say I love Hungary at dinner tonight?"

"Don't," I demand harshly. Yes, it's mean to get his hopes down, but it will be better if she says it herself, he will be more surprised, happier. "Just don't."

Hungary walks down the stairs, her hair up in an updo, wearing a pretty green and black dress. I lay out all the food on plates and serve it, walking over to the sink, doing the dishes, but really I'm listening to the conversation.

"Um, Austria?"

"Ja?"

"Um... um..." Hungary glances back to me for help, her green eyes almost panicked, and I give her a nod of encouragement. She turns back to Austria and closes her eyes.

"Österreich, ich liebe dich!"

I sigh and smile, glad she's finally said it. Liechtenstein and Belgium will be proud when I tell them the news. Austria's eyes are shocked, and he glances to me. I know he's wondering if I knew about this the whole time, that Hungary was going to say this. I give a tiny nod, my amusement no doubt showing on my face.

"Hungary, I love you too." With that, Austria leans over and gives Hungary a quick kiss on the lips, blushing red.

I laugh silently and continue to wash the dishes, daydreaming about the German chocolate cake in the fridge.

-###-  
Well, things between Austria and Hungary are going smoothly (besides the occasional cuss from Prussia), I got back to New Denmark and told everything to the Nordics (With Finland saying "Aww!" every couple sentences, and am now lying in bed.

I get a text. I check my phone.

_Natalia Arlovskaya: So, I heard how you helped out Austria and Hungary. I was wondering, I haven't been sleeping well lately either. How about helping Russia and me out?_

I chuckle, set my phone on my bedside table, and fall asleep. It might be true nobody is dreaming about me, but at least Hungary's insomnia should be cured.


	3. The Bloody Knife

_A/N- Hey guys! Maple here. This was a request from Defenestration. It's based off of a Canadian folklore. I TRIED to make it PruCan, and I don't know if this is what you had in mind at all. It's a little dark. Sorry T_T_

"Why don't you get back here and say that to my face?"

"I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please, just leave me alone!" Canada yelled, wincing as branches hit his face. He was running from Prussia. Prussia, whom he had accidentally insulted. Canada hadn't meant to say anything rude, in fact it surprised Canada that Prussia could even see him, but he had mindlessly said something dumb about Prussia not being a country, and about Germany.

"Get back here, you coward! Face the awesome me like a man!"

"Prussia, go away! I didn't mean it! I'm sorry!" Canada kept sprinting until he saw the forest thinning. A clearing or a meadow was probably beyond the line of trees, and if Canada just kept moving without Prussia catching up to him, he might make it safely. That or talk some sense into the former nation.

Canada blinked as the last branch hit him in the face. He was out of the woods, but in a worse situation. A vast river stretched as far right and left as he could see, too wide and fast-moving for him to swim across. The current would sweep him away, and the water was probably cold enough to give him hypothermia.

Trying to catch his breath and ignore the cramp in his side, Canada leaned against a tree, clutching his rib cage. He had a knife, perhaps if necessary, he could fight Prussia off and injure him just enough to get him to calm down.

_"Matthew Williams!" _Canada flinched. Prussia had used his real name. And he sounded a lot closer. Canada couldn't hear over the rushing river, but he suspected Prussia would be near him in seconds.

Sure enough, the silver-haired country burst out from the treeline, holding a knife. "Got you now, _Kanada! _Let's settle this with a fight!"

"Wait now, Pruss"-

Before Canada could finish his negotiations for peace, silver flashed in his eyes, and he could feel something warm trickling down the right side of his cheek. He placed a hand to his face. Blood. Bright red blood, the color of fiery red maple leaves in fall. Canada's favorite color.

But it wasn't supposed to be blood.

"Prussia, just wait! Wait one second!" Canada exclaimed.

"Hah?" Prussia laughed, his red eyes crazed. Canada wondered if his friend had finally flipped his lid and was totally completely crazy. Without another word, Prussia stabbed Canada in the arm.

"Ow!" Canada yelled, drawing his own knife in self-defense. He aimed for Prussia's stomach, not anything serious enough to kill him, just harmful enough so that Prussia would be knocked out so Canada could escape.

They fought on for a while, both of them receiving many more cuts. There was too much blood in Canada's eyes. He couldn't see.

Prussia stabbed him again in the leg, and Canada lost his balance, tripping and landing in the river.

Dang. Dang, it was cold. But the current, so fast-moving and dangerous, wasn't sweeping the Canadian away at all. The river wasn't even as deep as it looked. Canada noticed his knife on a rock a couple of feet away. He reached for it.

It slipped away, moving a few inches away from his outstretched fingers.

Clenching his teeth, trying to ignore the pain, Canada moved over to grab his knife. It moved again. Growing desperate and pained, the only thing that kept Canada moving was his common sense- moving around would keep him warm- and the thought that if he didn't get the knife, Prussia would kill him while he was trying to reach for it.

Canada heard Prussia laughing from the riverbank, loud, echoing laughter that sounded live something from a horror movie.

"Kesesese~ The downfall of the great Matthew Williams."

"Prussia," Canada begged. "Please, help me. I didn't mean to insult you. I'm sorry. I can't get my knife. Please."

Prussia's facial expression softened, and Canada remembered all the times Prussia would noisily interrupt World Meetings, uninvited, insisting he belonged among the nations. So, why was Prussia- who had been dissolved- recognized, but Canada, a real nation, was unknown?

_"Kanada?"_

Canada could feel the blood running out of his cuts, clouding the water with a slight pink tinge, then being swept away. Canada was now hoping Prussia would make the final strike quick and painless. "Yes, Prussia?"

"_Kanada, ich liebe dich." _Prussia smiled, as if proud for getting the words out.

Canada froze in shock, coughing up blood. How? "P-Prussia, why...?"

"Because," Prussia said. "I have to kill you now. _Es tut mir leid, Kanada."_

"If you love me," coughed Canada, "then why are you killing me?"

"Dummkopf!" Prussia yelled, pointing his knife at Canada. "What are you saying? Do you reject my feelings?" He lowered his voice. "Now you know. Now you know how I feel about you, so I must kill you."

Canada opened his mouth to say something, but he was silenced when Prussia threw his knife right into the other nation's heart. A quick death.

Prussia moved Canada out of the water and carried it to the edge of the forest, setting the body down on the grassy ground, fallen leaves crackling. Prussia walked back over to the river and waded into it, attempting to reach Canada's knife. It slipped out of his fingertips, moving only a little.

It drove Prussia crazy, every time he tried to get the knife, it moved a fraction of an inch, just far enough away so he couldn't snatch it out of the water. The most disturbing thing was that the current was not washing the blood off of the knife.

Prussia sat down on the riverbank, not crying, silent.

Maybe, just maybe, if Prussia had known what Canada's last words would have been, he would not have killed him. If he knew Canada would reply with _Je t'aime, Prussia, _perhaps it would have been different. But now it was too late.

-###-  
"I don't like this place."

"Oh, come on, Iggy. Stop being skurd."

"I'm not," England replied. "And don't call me Iggy, America."

"Fine, fine." America rolled his eyes. "It _is _a little creepy here. But the river is pretty."

"You're right," England said. "I'm going to go look at it closer. Maybe even put my feet in, I'm not exactly feeling refreshed at the moment."

England took of his shoes and was sitting on the bank, his toes dangling in the cool water, when he noticed something shiny. "America, look at this."

"Huh?" America looked over England's shoulder. "Hey, it's a knife. What's on it? Is that blood? Why hasn't the current swept it away?"

"I'll go get it," England said, reaching for the knife. It moved.

"Blimey," he whispered. "America, are you seeing this?"

America nodded. "Um, let me try."

England shook his head. "No. America, can we just leave?" He started to put his shoes back on. "I feel like bad things have gone down here."

America and England spoke of the knife at the next World Meeting. Many countries would stop by the river, trying to fetch it, but nobody could reach it. Prussia watched every single country fail, and the end of the day, he would stand on the edge of the riverbank, looking down at the bloodstained blade.

-Translation Notes-  
_Kanada - _Canada  
_Ich liebe dich - _I love you  
_Je t'aime - _I love you  
_Es tut mir leid - _I am sorry


	4. Too Far Gone

_A/N- A request from Raincatcher13. Russia x Belarus with a teaspoon of Soviets and a tablespoon of Dark!, but I'm not very good at writing Dark!Hetalia stuff, hah. Give it a chance, maybe?_

Too Far Gone

"Open the door this instant, Nii-san! Open the door! Open it, now!"

"Heh." Latvia gave a tiny chuckle. "Up to same-old same-old, Belarus?"

"Shut _up, _you little idiot! How can _my _Nii-san love someone like you more than me? Even you, how could Russia love me the least? It's not fair! It's not fair!"

"I'm s-sorry, Ms. Belarus. I didn't mean anything by that. You're just so determined to get Russia to fall in love with you. It's... admirable." Latvia was desperately trying to say something that wouldn't get Belarus upset.

"Of course it is," Belarus mumbled, turning back to Russia's door, pounding on it with a fist. "Open this door right now!"

Belarus could hear the cry of, "Go away, Little Sister!"

Belarus kicked the door open, noticing how dark the room was. "I'm coming inside, Nii-san!"

Something hit Belarus in the face.

She reeled back in surprise, clutching her stinging cheek. No. Russia had hit her. Russia had... _hit _her.

"Go away! Go away! Can you please just leave me alone?"

Belarus was still in shock, but she backed out of the dark room slowly, careful not to anger her brother further. "Yes... yes, as you would like," she whispered, closing the door.

Estonia was walking by, carrying a tray holding some food and a bottle of vodka.

"Gyaaahhh!" Belarus screamed, grabbing the vodka bottle and throwing it across Russia's hallway. It shattered when it came in contact with the wall, sending vodka splattering everywhere.

"Oh dear," Estonia said. "I'll clean that up right away. How could I have been so clumsy?"

"Are you an idiot?" Belarus hissed, sinking to her knees. The slap from Russia wasn't that hard, it didn't even sting anymore, but just the fact that he had hit her made Belarus want to cry. He never got angry at her.

Never.

"Sorry, Belarus?" Estonia asked, confused. Belarus was normally grumpy and unpredictable, armed to the throat with knives, but she never had meltdowns.

"How could you have been so clumsy?" Echoed Belarus, her voice a scream. "What the hell do you mean by that? I was the one who threw the bottle! Stop! Stop!"

Estonia, unsure of what to do, set the tray down and returned a couple of minutes later with a rag and a bottle of water to clean up the broken bottle and its contents. Belarus was gone.

-###-  
"Now, we may experience some turbulence, so please fasten your seatbelts."

Belarus narrowed her eyes, staring out of her window. She rubbed her eyes. She had been up all night, and in the end, she had booked a flight straight to Beijing. She knew that China's house was _somewhere _around here, as she had visited the Asian nation a couple of times before.

Belarus didn't have a suitcase or even a carry-on bag. She knew exactly what she was doing in China, and it wasn't going to take very long.

In the airport, she stuck out like a sore thumb. With her pale blonde hair and violet eyes, she was somewhat of a wonder among the sea of dark hair and dark brown eyes.

"Natalia! Is that you, aru?"

"...China." Belarus turned to face the fellow country. "I had hoped I would be seeing you here."

"I had no clue you were going to be in the country, aru. I'm actually waiting for South Korea. How are you, then?"

"Could I... could I stay with you a couple of days? I'm sorry for no notice at all, I hope I'm not imposing." Belarus put on her nice-girl act, something she could do well despite the task at hand.

"Oh, of course, aru," China said. He was in love with Russia, after all, and it was no small task to help out his younger sister, was it? "South Korea!"

"Ahh! Yao! And Natalia, I don't believe it!"

"Hello, Im Yong Soo," Natalia said evenly. "It's so... nice to see you."

-###-  
Now, Belarus had her weapon, and it was the knife. But since she very well couldn't bring something like that onto the plane, she lied to China and said she was going to go buy some local Chinese food.

Instead, she bought knives.

Enough to do what she had come for.

And that was to kill China.

Just to make sure China wouldn't wonder, Belarus stopped by the store and picked up some food.

She got back to China's house. It was quiet, and China was sitting at the kitchen table, reading a newspaper. Belarus couldn't read a single thing on there, but that was fine.

"Err, where's South Korea?"

"Oh." China looked up. "He went on an errand. Goodness, aru, look at the time. I guess I start dinner now. What did you buy at the store?" China opened the bag. "Yes, aru, this stuff is tasty, just like the"-

Belarus didn't wince as she buried her knife down into the back of China's neck, even as he broke off mid sentence, even as she saw the blood fly out of his mouth.

Even as she saw Russia's love fall down on the ground, dead.

-###-  
Belarus slipped back into Russia's house. She had caught a plane home, leaving China untouched for South Korea to find when he got back home.

Taking out her key, Belarus wondered, _Maybe Nii-san will love me now._

Lithuania was waiting for her, looking distraught.

"Why are you here? Where is Nii-san?" Belarus demanded.

Lithuania shook his head. "China is dead."

"I know that," Belarus said. "Where is big brother?"

"How do you know?" Lithuania asked, his eyes narrowed. "Did you kill him?"

"Oh, no." Belarus waved a hand. "No, of course not. What on earth gave you such an idea? Where is the babka Poland sent over a couple of days ago? Did you Baltics eat it all?"

"Come to think of it," Lithuania said. "It would make sense. You hated China because Russia loved him. South Korea said he found a knife in China's neck. And the day China was killed, you weren't here."

"How dare you be so open with me?" Belarus demanded, grabbing Lithuania by the collar of his shirt. "You don't have the slightest clue of what happened." Belarus was partly shocked, Lithuania was usually trembling with fear or something.

"I love you," Lithuania said.

Belarus dropped him and he landed on the tile floor with a thud.

"I'll only say it one more time," she whispered. "Where is Nii-san?"

"He is upstairs, mourning China."

"By the way," Belarus said, reaching the first staircase that led up to the area the Soviets called Russia's Hallway. She turned and looked at Lithuania. He did not stir.

Belarus buried her face in her hands, starting to walk up the stairs. "I must tell you something I have been meaning to for a while."

Lithuania looked up, nervous, hopeful. Belarus knew once she said what she was about to say, his face would fall, love unreturned. But wasn't that what happened to her every single time she tried to say something to Russia?

Even on the brink of insanity, so in love with Russia she could do anything, even kill his loved ones, Belarus accepted that she was too far gone, and it wasn't worth loving herself. Nobody would anyways.

She could not bring herself to tell Lithuania she hated him. She could not bring herself to crush yet another person's hopes.

She shook her head and walked up the stairs without saying another word.


End file.
